18 alleged ex-Marines arrive at Senate as blue ribbon panel holds flood control probe

The 18 individuals who claimed to be former personnel of the Philippine Marine Corps who allegedly delivered kickbacks to government officials arrived at the Senate on Monday as the Gatchalian bloc-led Senate blue ribbon committee held a consultative meeting regarding the probe into anomalous flood control projects.

Lawyer Levito Baligod, their legal counsel, accompanied the alleged former Marines.

He said one of the reasons they arrived at the chamber is to clarify the invitation from the Senate panel.

"Ang isang rason para iklaro namin dahil, depektibo po itong imbitasyon eh. Ang gusto lang namin ay sundin natin 'yung rules of the Senate mismo...Ang pagdalo namin dito ngayon is not to legitimize anybody or any office. Labas kami diyan," Baligod told reporters.

(One reason is for us to clarify the invitation because it is defective. We just want to follow the rules of the Senate. Our coming here today is not to legitimize anybody or any office. We're not part of [the Senate leadership issue].

The legal counsel for the 18 individuals, allegedly the bagmen of former lawmaker Zaldy Co, said the group was open to attending the legislative inquiry. However, he said Senator Erwin Tulfo should inhibit from the investigation.

"Kasi sabi ko nga, ayaw naming i-legitimize na si Mr. Erwin Tulfo ang blue ribbon committee (chairman) pero haharap kami kahit saang venue. Kahit saang venue, haharap kami," Baligod said.

(As I said, we don't want to legitimize Mr. Erwin Tulfo as blue ribbon committee [chairman] but we will show up wherever the venue is.

"Ang committee ay merong power of contempt. Ngayon, inaakusahan naming isa, si Erwin Tulfo. Sa tingin n'yo ba ay aamin siya? Hindi, di ba?" Baligod said.

(The committee has the power [to hold someone in] contempt. Now, one of those we accused [of being recipients of suitcases containing cash] is Erwin Tulfo. Do you think he will admit to that? He won't, right?)

"Ang sasabihin niya, sinungaling kayo at makikita n'yo sa Rule 18, Section 18 ng Senate Resolution No. 5, puwede niya kaming i-cite in contempt at ipakulong kami. So, we have an anomalous situation na 'yung inaakusahan mo ay siya ang uupo na imbestigador at huwes at the same time. So, how can...Where can we find someone accused doing the investigation and deciding later on who is telling the truth or who is telling a lie? Dapat mag-inhibit siya," he added.

(What he will say is that you are lying. And you will see that in Rule 18, Section 18 of Senate Resolution No. 5, he can cite us in contempt and have us detained. So we have an anomalous situation that the one you are accusing is the one investigating and acts as judge at the same time... He should inhibit [from the probe].)

Senator Robin Padilla invited Baligod and the 18 alleged ex-Marines to go up to his office, as could be seen in his Facebook live.

In a separate interview, Padilla said he would accompany the resource persons in the legislative inquiry should they attend.

"Dapat sila ang tanungin mo kung kinikilala nila 'yun kasi nandito lang ako para samahan sila kasi tinawagan nila ako. Humihingi sila ng suporta. Siguro sila Attorney ang tanungin natin kung kinikilala nila... 'Yun ang sabi ni Attorney, pupunta sila dito, makikipag-usap sa inyo tapos bababa sila du'n. Obligado akong samahan dahil bisita ko sila," Padilla said.

(You should ask them if they recognize the hearing as legitimate. I am here because they called me for support. Maybe we should ask Attorney [Baligod] if they will recognize the hearing... That's what Attorney said, they will go here, talk to the media, then they will go down and attend the hearing. I am obliged to accompany them because they are my guests.)

The Senate blue ribbon committee led by Tulfo proceeded with its consultative meeting regarding the flood control mess. Earlier, the powerful panel initially deemed the group of 18 alleged ex-Marines absent, with Senate Pro-Tempore and acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian saying he was dismayed the alleged bagmen skipped the legislative inquiry.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano over the weekend warned the group that the June 8 flood control probe is unauthorized.

"Hindi umattend ang 18 bodyguards. 'Yung kanilang abogado at si Mike Defensor sa ating patawag. Ito ay official na patawag," Gatchalian said.

(The 18 bodyguards, their lawyer and Mike Defensor did not heed our invitation. This is an official invitation.)

"Nakakadismaya dahil kung alam ng 18 bodyguards na sa loob nang kanilang puso ay alam nila ang katotohanan, dapat pumunta sila dito para i-share sa ating lahat. Hindi puwedeng pumili kung saan sila pumunta at magsasalita, hindi puwedeng pumili sino ang kakausapin kung kakampi man o hindi," he added.

(I am dismayed because if the 18 personnel know in their hearts what the truth is, they should go here and share that with everyone. They cannot chose where to speak and who to speak to, whether or not they are allies.)

14 additional Marines

Meanwhile, Baligod said they will submit additional 14 names of alleged former Marines and Co's personnel to the Cayetano bloc for their investigation.

"Magsusumite ako ng pangalan kay Senate President Cayetano at kay BRC Chair Pia Cayetano. May 14 akong pangalan na ibibigay na puwede nila i-subpoena sa susunod na pagdinig na dating mga Marines din at dating tauhan ni Zaldy Co para magkuwento nang kanilang nalalaman," Baligod said.

(I will submit 14 additional names to Senate President Cayetano and BRC Chair Pia Cayetano. I have 14 names to give that they can subpoena for the next hearings. They are former Marines and former personnel of Zaldy Co who can talk about what they know.)

"Additional na 14 former Marines at former Zaldy Co employees. Now kung hindi pa rin sila kontento, magsusunod pa kami nang karagdagang pangalan. Siguro mga pito na lang kasi yung iba, may ebidensiya later. Ipapakita ko sa inyo kung bakit hindi sila makadalo," he added.

(These are additional 14 former Marines and former employees of Zaldy Co. Now, if they are not content, I will give even more names. Maybe just around seven more names, because there is evidence later. I will show you why they could not attend.)

NBI

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director General Melvin Matibag also arrived at the chamber to attend the consultative meeting.

"This is the legitimate blue ribbon committee so we have to be here," he told reporters in a chance interview.

Aside from the 18 alleged former Marines, other resource persons who were invited to the legislative inquiry were former House speaker Martin Romualdez, ML Party-list Representative Leila de Lima, and Fr. Flavie Villanueva, among others.

Last week, the bloc led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano held its own blue ribbon committee probe. During the hearing, the 18 alleged former Marines implicated some incumbent lawmakers in the flood control mess such as Senators Erwin Tulfo and Vicente "Tito" Sotto III. The solons denied the allegations. —KG, GMA News